Temptation Island
by Sasami1
Summary: Washed up on a 'not-quite' deserted island, the young blokes go survivor style with the help of some new friends. *chapter 6 now up!* Please read
1. Chapter 1 -Begining-

  
  
Heavy palms dipped their leaves, dripping with spots of warm water. Thick perfume floated through the island, flowers in their full bloom. The soft ground warmed Leonardos feet as he hiked through, and moist foliage brushed his ever darkening skin. Above him the sun beat down, sneaking in between the canopy to say hello.  
  
The fresh air in his blood put a light on in his spirit and warmed him a way he felt only a handful of times in his 21 years. Maybe it was just the wine he drank that morning. But if felt like things were finally settling into place. If you could call it that.  
  
Pushing heavy set fronds from his path he found his feet stopping in place, willing the rest of his body to cease his disturbance. There in the flower cove his brother Mike was tentatively kissing Delihla. Holding back a lock of curly hair lightly in one hand, and the side of her neck with the other. She for herself seemed to be taking it quite amicably, for undoubtably was a new experience.  
  
Leonardo let the fronds sink back into place and traced his steps away. At least the two of them were still standing. Earlier he had come upon Donatello teaching Sandy a lesson of his own on lip work quite horizontally on the beach. Which was more than what he could say about what he had more recently witnessed with Raphael and Ruby down on the shore of the water hole. For at least there wasn't a pile of discarded clothes beside Don and Sandy.  
  
Whatever had caused them all to succumbed to their lusts this one afternoon he failed to understand. Instead he felt the wish to return to his room, away from the ever blossoming passions that had seeped into his companions heads. Who knows. Maybe there would be a pretty thing waiting in his bed for him as well. A mischeivious grin brushed over his mouth briefly, and he disapeared behind a sheaf of hanging moss.  
  
  
  
  
Noise.... like ten thousand angels singing a funeral durge. No, it was only the hum of the engine. As it went down. A squealing soprano sung out, her voice turning to black smoke billowing past his window. Red alto and tenor flames burst ontop one another, climbing toward the sky... away from the propellers.  
  
Donatellos head was jerking about beside him, eyes darting to catch what was happening. His book fell from his lap without his noticing. Travel guide to Japan. Lights began flashing onto the shiny cover from above. When he checked he saw it was the caution signs on the ceiling that bounced off the book cover. Then the lights went out. Screams came from all around, trying in vain to drone out the sound on the engines chorus, with a chorus of their own. The lights were back on. Then out again. On. Off. On..... Off. They didn't come on again.   
  
Mike grabbed Donatellos arm, unsure of what to do. A hand grabbed his and held it tight. Mike held the arm tighter, and the hand gripped tighter still. This continued till his arm ached. But he couldn't stop. The darkness was too much. There was no action for him to latch onto, to draw his attention. Instead his imagination was free to draw conclusions only from what he could hear. And smell.... smoke.... Everything was buckling up. He felt his head sinking into his shell, leaving the hat and wig on his shoulders. Then he slipped away into his own blackness. Away....  
  
  
  
  
Bright sunlight seeped into his dreamworld, coming in first behind many veils. As he tried to open his eyes wider in his dream, things only became darker. But when he stopped things continued to brighten unnaturally. And brighten until, blackness. Fear of his return to reality came, and he felt the urge to clamp up again hovering about just near his dying dream.   
  
A crease of light cut through the darkness. A crack in his eyelids. The sun peeked and pulled its way in insistantly. At last he allowed his eyes to open more then just a crack, enough to see the sun above him. Warm air was welcome on his skin, and the solid sands grounding against his shell. The slosh of water beaching itself and slipping away played with his eardrums, petting them gently. Sticky salt was mixed with his saliva. He licked it off his lips as his head lolled to the side.  
  
There he could see his brothers not far off. They were alive. They were all alive. He couldn't really grasp much importance to it though. Insetead he began hazily formulating a joke about the way Leonardos hand was lain over Dons groin.   
  
Crunchy footsteps in sand came toward him. A silly smile came to him and he set his head right again. Above him an elipse of the sun occured. Nay! It was something closer to the Earth that blocked his view. Something leaning over him. Long hair. His eyes were squinting to make distungiushing features out. Long red hair. Like deep red wine. Stray locks caught the sun from behind and turned to transparent lengths of color. The face was still cloaked in shadow mostly. But he could make out a pretty face. The hair pushed back behind two delicate ears, the ends whisping back forward in a sway. His eyes followed the of her faces' symmetry down to her neck. Accentuated collar bones. Golden skin. A rack. Boy oh boy. An amused 'heh' passed his lips, ending his movements for the most part. His head which was inclined now dropped back in warm sand. He felt like moaning with pleasure. Never had he felt so exhaustedly good. Maybe a bit randy too.  
  
Smooth hands slipped under his shoulders and gripped his armpits. Go speed racer, go! He quipped to himself as he moved up the sand. The tiny particles carressing his sides felt neat. The only other time he had experianced something like it was when Raphael used to drag him about by the leg on the rug. Sand was much better. Plus his leg didn't hurt as much. The memory was warm like the sand, and soon he drifted into it, using the journey over the beach to excuse him from conscienceness.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

  
Soft cotton lain over beaten sore skin gave strange sensations, like feathers. Too heavy to go unnoticed, yet too light to provide security. Security, so sought after the physical and mental trauma of watching once mighty and powerful wings that were to carry a multi-ton load rip off and escape alone into the dark of night. Leonardos head swam in the dark cloud his mind had been locked to durring the calamity. Only now did he sense the present yet lacking protection of a blanket. Soft and worn like the ones on Splinters couch. Splinters home? Is that where he was? Had he returned to New York? His eyes cracked. It was very light in the room. That wasn't like Splinter. Maybe he had the lights on for Mike. He didn't like sleeping in the dark. Opening his eyes wider he saw the room looking less and less like Splinters living room. Mike afraid of the dark? That was years ago. He chided himself for a stupid and ultimately half-conscience conclusion.  
  
Soft breathing around him told him he wasn't alone. Without looking to see whom with he already knew. For the longest portion of his life he slept beside the same 3 people. He was well accustomed to their breathing patterns in sleep. Mikey's 'hoo's', Donnies deep breaths, and the not so occasional snort, and Raphs almost silent breath through his teeth. Just to be sure of that last one he was compelled to prop himself on his elbows to check. Yes. Raph was there alright. They were all there. As that fact and the memories of the accident sunk in simultaniously he felt both great relief and great distress make their effect upon his shoulders.  
  
Their surroundings added to his distress, and he found his chest tightening as his shoulders decided whether to straighten or slump. The blankets proved someone had become privy to their identity. His morale hung onto his brothers sound conditions like a life line as the rest of the circumstances dragged him down further. At least whoever had taken them in wasn't there at the moment. Somehow Leo felt his presense would turn the room completely off kilter.  
  
Turning to Donnie wide eyed he shook him awake, murmerring his name. It took several attempts before he was roused, looking up at his brother in some confusion. Without changing his expression Leo reached over and woke Mikey, then Raph. Both took a bit of time to cycle through the same reactions Leonardo had already encountered. Looks of growing confusion merged and transposed to fright of a close call. They spoke silently between widened eyes, hardly stirring from upright positions upon the floor. Several quiet spaces were broken with Donnie diving into Leonardo, clutching him around the stomach, his head pressed against his side. Mikey was next, taking the other side. Raph joined and hugged tight to his brothers, his big arms squeezing them close. Leo extricated his arms and used them to wrap himself around his friends, completing a sloppy ball. Donnie and Mikey pulled away partway so they could as well hold onto Raph, shifting about akwardly into a square. Leo stroked each of their heads in turn, giving gentle pressure to show he was there. Even Raph accepted this affection without turning away. Other than the giant hug the comforting was left to Leo, a feat he gladly embraced. Splinter taught him the good a little caring could do.   
  
Mikey took an odd shuttered breath and finally looked up, his eyes with a bit more of a serious light. His eyes jumped from match to match, seeing if others were ready to begin talking. They all sobered for him, and their arms dropped down, still close to one another though. It smacked of late night readings of comics and soda. All boxed in close and quiet, afraid to be discovered by someone who might spank them.  
  
But now that they were all ready, no one knew what to say first. Or what subject to broach first. New ones were popping up all over the place. Raph was the first to break silence though.  
  
"Where the hell are we." It seemed to be the foremost question for each of them. Plus the only one they didn't know quite how to answer. Several more moments passed before an easier question surfaced.  
  
"I wonder what happened to everyone else." Mike asked. Finally something to focus upon. Don took the lead on it gratefully.  
  
"They could be around here somewhere." He instantly found it hard to answer without introducing the previous question. "... or maybe they're out there."  
  
"Are we the only survivors?" Mike asked, with a bit of excitement. Leo couldn't tell if it was anxiety or some sort of pride. He didn't want to know right then. While his brothers began discussing the circumstances they found themselves in he began surveying the direct surroundings. He found it to be what appeared to be a porch? Fenced in however with a fine netting to make it look like a room. It looked like womans stockings. Hundreds of them, sewn together. The floor was a very light colored wood, with streaks of brown and black marbling in the thin strips. The walls were the same wood, tied together with something or another.   
Where is this? The set of Gilligans isle?   
There was a ceiling as well, and an illusion of a door where two walls failed to connect.  
  
Outside he could see and smell sweet humid air. Leafy jungle had been cleared back a bit so one could look out from the room to the foliege. Lovely blue and purple flowers displayed their nectar to him, lonely drops of water hanging onto the sagging leaves. It had rained recently.  
  
His brothers ever loudening whispers drew his attention from the outdoors to themselves. They had been laid out with some very ancient blankets he saw. They were worn, and ripped in some places. Mikeys' looked like it was once several articles of clothing. There was nothing else laid upon the floor. Which was why they so easily had woken. It is not a pleasant feeling to be rocked about on ones own shell. Had they left any marks on the floor?   
  
No. Good. Oh, what is this?   
  
A pair of narrow feet occupied the floor boards between the 'not quite' door jamb. Feet lead to ankles. Ankles to calves. Calves to legs. Legs to knees.   
  
Woah now.  
  
Leo already knew what this was. But it had been so long since his last time with a woman he just enjoyed to bare legs while he had the view. Knees to thighs. Then a brown shift of leather hung about the hips like a dancers tied scarf, ornated with ribbon and flowery things that hung down the short tied side. The one that showed the side of a complete thigh. Yeah, that one. Up farther, a nice tummy. The familiar gentle swells of a feminine body. And a topless body at that. But long locks of hair hid what seemed to be the focal of that chest, only hinting at what secret curves it hid beneath it. Long wavy dark red hair. The color of robust wine. Or blood flowing straight from a heart. This hair framed a young delicately featured face, with eyes so light they picked up whatever color was close enough. And now it was just the warm tan of its mistresses skin. High cheek bones, full lips, and big eyes smacked of a well bred young lady. Dressed like a shy little geisha.  
  
Too good to be true. Casey must have set this up for them he imagined. No... no that doesn't fit at all. And the girls eyes on him made him feel self conscience. He could break her in half if he wished. That made him feel a little better. Not very gentlemenly though. Her eyebrow raised at him, and her chin tilted just so. Was she sizing him up? Why not. He had done the same. Probably much more intimately as well as what she was attempting.  
  
"Should I turn around for you?" He offered, letting his brazen side stupidly get the better of him. His brothers ceased their discussion and looked at him. Their eyes followed his line of vision and caught onto the girl. Just as well. He wouldn't have a chance with her anyway.   
  
"So. You speak english." Hers had a mix of Japan and England in her tongue. An interesting combination. "Good." If she was expecting a response after that she would be disapointed. Leonardo saw his brothers were preoccupied with imagining her legs wrapped around their hips. Fine then. He was more than happy to get to the bottom of things.   
  
"Who are you."  
  
"What are you." Obviously he was a turtle. Who was she?   
  
"Where are we." He pushed the blanket aside and left it crumpled by his leg. Her glance at it caught his eye, but looking back at her she showed no emotion about it.  
  
"Our island."  
  
"...Where."  
  
"Lost island."  
  
"Lost... like forgotten?" Donatello chipped in his two cents.  
  
"That too." Don exchanged glances with his brothers. Mike spoke up with something unusually insightful for his A.D.D. saturated mind.  
  
"Is there anyone else here?" A nod answered eventually. That seemed to be a relief. The thought that those other people might not be such good samaritains about their presense on the island was less of a concern right then.  
  
"Is there a boat?"   
  
"If there is why do you think we're still here." A question with a question.   
  
"Any phones?"   
  
"Telephone?" A nod was answered by a shake.  
  
"What about radios.... televisions.... anything?" All shakes of the head. This was a dead end. They still hadn't secured a means of escape either. Another bout of quiet contempation came and went between the four. "How did we... get here." Donatello offered.  
  
"You washed up on shore-"  
  
"Oh yeah." Mike interuppted. She turned her attention to him, tilting her head just so. "Was there anyone else with us?"  
  
"No." Leo saw Mike begin to float off into his ruminations again, leaving the girl hanging. "I'm surprised you made it yourselves, over the reef that is."  
  
"Reef?" Donnie chimed.  
  
"There's a reef that goes all around this island. It keeps boats out. And most people caught in the current."  
  
"How did you get here then." Leo asked. Her eyes turned and matched his. He could make out at last some emotion for a few moments, but her voice reflected none of it.   
  
"The same way as you I would suppose." Those fair eyes lost their veil of pain. "You must be hungry, I'll see breakfast it brought in." She turned to leave, then stopped, turning her head back some. "You'd be best to make yourselves comfortable. You'll be here for awhile." She disapeared out the room, leaving it a little less pretty.  
  
Fuck that. They didn't have to sit around and be treated like stupid farts. They'd find their own way off the island. Get back to New York. Or just move right on to Japan. Hell, they were a bunch of strong, intelligent, able bodied men. Independant at that. Mutant or not.  
  
Then again... how often was it they came into contact with half naked island girls. That could have some possibilities. So they'd be delayed a few days. Splinter would wait for them. For whatever lot of luck had saved them, not four other passangers, should be explored a bit more in depth. It would be a shame not to do some exploring. It would be an insult to all those men that had possibly died. Their ghosts might haunt them all their days for not seizing the oppurtunity. Like going to Bangkok and not sampling the massage parlor almost. They had to stay. There wasn't a choice.... they didn't know how right they really were.  
  
That was the summary of their conversation as they sat pow wow style in the circle. It gave them a strong sense of reassurance and power over the situation, something they rarely gave themselves outside New York. Their musings were interuppted just as they ended with a giddy little greeting.  
  
"Good day!" Their heads jerked to the doorway and moved as the attractive flower of a stranger nearly danced in. Traipsing in a cloud of spirited innocence, she wore a crown of pink and blue lilies. Compared to her predescor she was short, but her body was just as alluring. Golden blond locks tumbled down her shoulders and just barely over her chest in ringlet curls. Bubbly blue eyes smiled all over, also with her bright white teeth. For a lost island they had supurb dental care. A skirt was made out of dark nylons, wrapped around her hips many times, decorated with flowers and shells.   
  
She dropped to her knees beside them, the tray she carried expertly placed on the floor as she did so, not to upset its contents. It wasn't until then they recognized how hungry they all really were. Fucking be damned, they hadn't eaten anything since those shitty bags of peanuts. They didn't spend any time to examine the new concubine, their eyes already magnetized to the tray of cooked fish, fresh fruits, goblets of something that resembled milk. A few flowers were laid out in the upper corner, and matched the size of a few holes in the flower crown lain upon their waitresses head.  
  
"We caught many fish today. You've brought us good luck!" She announced. "When your finished with this come outside. It's a beautiful day. Leave the dishes here and I will clean them." A bright smile lite the room, and she was out the door again.  
  
"...Think they're safe?" Don asked at last, the first vocalized question about their own safety. Murmerings bubbled forth quietly, before Raphael grabbed one of the fish by the tail.  
  
"Fuck it. I'm starving." He sat back and began eating. Taking the cue, the rest of them took something from the tray and began breakfast.  
  
  
  
  
Outside really was beautiful. A long stretch of sandy white beach was the front lawn. The crashing surf carried out onto endless expanses of clear ocean water, a dock had been painstakingly built underwater up with rocks and stones wedged and crammed together with thick cement mud. The house they had found themselves in was also meticulously built, nestled just inside the edge of the jungle forest. Two stories had been built up and across from what was obviously an original single room hut. A porch had been built around the entire house, held up upon stilts from the beach. The window and porch were both screened with more nylons, and decorated with shells glued along the support beams. The roof was pitched, and covered with giant palm leaves to keep rain water from settling on the roof and seeping in.  
  
Out on the beach the blond girl was busy picking up stray drift wood, holding a big bundle to her chest already. Collecting branches also another girl accompanied her. This one was taller, with straight mousy brown hair that came down around her waist easily. She wore a nylon skirt like her friend, and bedecked it in shells tied about ribbons.  
  
Leonardo began towards them with his friends not far behind. His curiosity was perked by the seemly continuous stream of scantily clad ladies. He wondered if they were just as curious about them. The blond girl looked up as they approached and smiled.  
  
"Hello." She chirped. "How did you find breakfast?" They joined her and her friend.  
  
"Very good. You find all these things in the forest?" Leo asked. She nodded. "So nothing is shipped in."  
  
"I wish! We get everything off the island that we need anyway." Oh. "I'm sorry, I've failed to introduce myself before when it was proper. My name's Delihla." She did a little curtsy. "This is Sandy." Sandy curtseyed as well.  
  
"I am pleased to meet you." The pleasure's all ours.  
  
"You've already met Rose?" Delihla asked. "She spoke to you before I did."  
  
"Oh. Right. Rose."  
  
"She went around the other side of the island to clean up the beaches. She'll probably be back the afternoon." Delihla continued picking up sticks.  
"You clean the beaches?"  
  
"Somebody has to." She smiled. "You can join us if you like, or you can have a look around. Just be careful. We'll show you around the island tomorrow if that's alright?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Okay."  
  
"How big is this island anyway?" Don asked. Delihla's brow furrowed slowly as she tried to grasp the question, her warm brown skin turning to wrinkles of confusion.  
  
"How big.... we-e-e-e-llll... it's like a...... if you have a .... uh...." It occured to him that she didn't know of anything as big as the island to compare it too. Was this all she had ever known? Dons attention turned to Sandy as she walked around them, dragging a stick over the ground. The others began to watch too as she made what looked like a deflated ballon outline in the sand, matching the stray ends up back where she stood. She made six quick 'x's by one edge with the point of her toe.  
  
"This is the island. This is us."  
  
"Which one am I?" Delihla asked. Sandy ignored her and continued.p  
"This takes around 2 hours," She traced a line parallel to the edge of her map, down to the opposite side from where she marked the 'x's. "And this is 4." She drew the stick around a much curvier and eclectic side of the island.  
  
"Oh." Donatello looked down at the marks.  
  
"Wherever you go, make sure to be back on the beach before sundown. We're going to have a feast! Tee hee!" She smiled and continued away. Don caught Sandy looking at him for only a split second before she turned and followed. He decided then to join them. Mikey came along as well. Raph disapeared out into the jungle where a path had already been forged for him. And Leo turned and began in the other direction. Things were begining to get out of hand he felt. The fact that there were this few people on the island, left to even clean the beaches themselves. No boats got in, no information got out. There was a reason this place was deserted. No one could find it. How exactly did he plan to get out? The person that seemed to have some insight on this was on the other side of the island, which was exactly where he went.  
  
  
  
  
Bird calls in the jungle bounced back and forth above the trail. Flowers and vines hung down like draperies, catching moss that wished to fall to the ground to sleep. Shadows were thick as air and sun was as light as shadows. Both battled for substance beneath the canopy leaves.  
  
Raphaels feet were warmed by the moist soil and undergrowth. Flowery perfumes came and sighed their scent across his shoulders, draping over him in greeting. He wasn't quite aware of their presense yet, preoccupying himself for a wish of a blade which to cut down the lazy fronds which hung to touch his face as he passed. He felt personally insulted by their brazenness. The walk was a nice stir to the day, but these damn fronds were begining to wear on his nerves.  
  
Nearly a hundred yards in he heard the faint unmistakable sound of a water fall. That was somewhere he could calm his nerves. Get a drink too. That coconut milk was wierd shit. Dipping below the heavy leaves he weaved through tree trunks, cutting through to the sound of water. Not far off. His hand pushed apart two hanging sheeves of furry brown moss, and stopped to let him look out. His nerves forgot all about the walk, and became thankful that they had arrived at such a destination. The moss closed in again enough for him to look out, but remain hidden mostly.  
  
An eliptical pond rippled with new water falling from a cliff head above, curving around the pond to drop its water. Flat stones were stacked, purpose of purposelessly about the waters edge, and beneath the waterfalls drop. More forest began around it, but here, in this little pond, was an open santuary for suggestive shadow play, the view of open sky. And beneath the waters fall, Rose. He ran his tongue along the underside of his teeth.  
  
That red hair was a give away. The long tapered limbs. Graceful curves. Hiding behind the waters floating mist, hips and fingertips swaying in dance, ever so slowly. Hair rose up upon a rest of fingers to greet the water as it fell. Then falling, clung to shoulders and breasts to feel their curves, feel their wet softness. Water from that hair dribbled down, sinking into waist and hips... running down bare thighs, into the cove of her knee, down, around the leg into a watery home. Oh how he longed to be that hair, that water.  
  
She stepped from beneath her shower, out onto dry stepping stones. Trailing wet foot prints behind her step she rung her hair. He watched with fascination as she squeezed water from the tips and shook the rope of hair loose. Then stopping in her way to the largest rocks she bent over, jigling her hair down. He didn't quite understand. A jerk of her head and straightening of her back sent the damp locks flinging back, and a spray of water curving away. All he could see were those firm breasts that jutted out proudly. Everything displayed proudly.   
  
Oh god, do that again.  
  
She did, and again after that. That seemed to satisfied her, she continued up onto a tall warm rock and laid upon her stomach, arms crossed for her cheek to rest upon. Raphael watched a bit longer, then sat himself back, setting the moss back into place. He found himself panting, his desire for Rose increased many fold. He could not just barge in unanounced however, even though in any porn that would be more than acceptable. The real world just didn't work that way. He'd bid his time. Return to the pond again later. Not yet though. He used a tree trunk to pull himself back to his feet and climbed back toward the path.  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

  
  
  
  
A very clear day reflected onto everything on the cliff side of the island. A short width of beach jutted out the bottom of the tall bluffs, with sand white like snow. Intense reflections of the sun bounded off the waters surface, and over to light up the cliffs and sand.   
  
Bits of wood, sticks, and dank seaweed cluttered the beach like refuse. They tainted the sand with impurity. Leonardo took the iniciative to boot the larger pieces out to sea. His walk was invigorating, but he had yet to catch Rose. The side of the island curved and winded like a side of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle. He could never tell what laid around the corner.  
  
He found himself absently banging the side of the rock, letting the bits of rock and dust fall onto his knuckles. Above him shards of rock were being shaken loose from their catches. A few drops of stone on his head was all warning he had before huge rocks began their tumble down the cliffside. Leo swore and broke into sprints. He would no doubt escape the falling rock, it fell somewhere behind him, shaking the ground. The end of his run took him around a bend he found Rose just turning. As he went to stop his foot stepped on a loose branch, pinning it down. The other foot stuck itself underneath a notch taken out of the wood. Leo found himself falling forward, found Roses arms opening to catch him. But either by his own weight, the speed which he fell, or Roses ill stance, he took her down with him.   
  
No scream passed her lips, or his for that matter. He could only grab a glimpse of her grimanced expression of preparation before his own eyes clamped shut. A strange bang resounded as they hit the ground, and the rest of the force off the fall fell itself. Leo rocked off her as soon as he could regain his balance, his hand resting on her leg. He let out a breath he had held as he asked her-  
  
"Are you alright?" Then he noticed the sled type contraption she had hit her head upon. He face was still tightened up like she had ingested something foul smelling. "Oh fuck." His arm slid under her back and helped her up. "Let me see." He shifted behind her and began pushing away the hair where she had clamped her hand over.  
  
"It's nothing. A scratch." He ignored her, pushing her hand out of the way.  
  
"....Not bleeding... looks like a bad bump on the head." He laid a finger on the ever reddening bump and she winced. He took it back and helped her stand up. She continued to rub the back of her head and slowly let her eyes open to the sand.  
  
"You should be careful around here you know. This side of the island in set on toothpicks."  
  
"Of course." She bent down to take the sled again, he took the reigns before her. "Let me." He saw the sleigh was made completely by hand, not shipped from anywhere. The runners were made of slick thin wood that could be pulled through the sand easily, the carraige set up about 6 inches with rails to keep its carry in. That being a mass of driftwood and weeds. "You keep all this stuff?" He set the reigns around his arm and began walking.  
  
"You need everything you can find." She picked up a few peices of mangled wood and tossed them only the pile.  
  
"What's it used for." He took one of the larger branches out of the way before she stepped on it as he did.  
  
"When it's dry it'll be fire wood. Or for widdling. The weeds can be used for anything." He watched he kneal down by the flat stone the cliff had dropped, and examine it. "...We'll be back for this in a few days." She announced, then walked right over it. Leo walked around through the water and joined her. "After awhile you'll become the same way."  
  
"You make it sound like a bad thing."  
  
"Not if you want to stay alive." She picked up a fish that had been trapped in a watery hole in the sand, its eratic tail flops begining to slow, and wung it out into the water. He smirked, turning his head away so she wouldn't see. She talked like someone on 'survivor'. The smile receded and he let himself turn back. Now ishe/i smiled smugly. "I know what your thinking."  
  
"And what would that be."  
  
"You don't give a damn. You figure you'll be off this island in a week." She gathered up another bunch of wood.  
  
"Lucky guess." Dropping the bundle onto the sled she continued down the beach, Leo by her side. "I came here to ask you about that."  
  
"And all this time I thought I was flattered by your company." Was she?  
  
"I want to know about the island." She gave him a look that asked for him to narrow the subject. "If we got on it, there must be a way off."  
  
"You'd think so wouldn't you."  
  
"There must be." She sighed and picked one of the sticks off the sled. He watched her draw another form like that Sandy had several hours ago.  
  
"The ocean current comes down at us like this." An arrow pointed to the island from above. "And from below are thermal pockets that are pushing up." Several arrows pointed up from below. "When they hit the island the current from above spins it away into tide pools all along here." Swirly circles made their way along the bottom of the island, as if that explained it all. His expression asked for more. Blowing air through her teeth she continued. "Going into the current takes you one step forward, and two steps back. After a few days you'll just drift back again. Into the thermal pocket just gets your raft caught in the tide pools. It's a pain to get out of that. And the only way to leave it is to go back to shore."  
  
"What if you had a heavier boat. Something that wouldn't be caught."  
  
"It wouldn't make it over the reef." A circle appeared around the island. "The hull would, this is all academic of course, saying it made it over, either be punctured, or too banged up to make it very far." Leonardos brow ridge lowered, his arms crossing. The sled pulled closer till it hit his ankle.  
  
"....There must be a way around it."  
  
"Of course." Of course? "Here, or here." She marked either side of the island.  
  
"Well why didn't you say that?" He kept the mild shot of anger in check.  
  
"Because. It's almost impossible. If either one of the currents is stronger than the other, which is almost always happening, you'll be pulled or pushed into the tide pools."  
  
"......."  
  
"Unless you're an oceanographist or a magician you should start worrying more about whats in the jungle than what you're missing on land." She continued walking. Leo stared at the sand map for a long time. He didn't wake until he felt the reigns being taken from him. Rose walked on again, the runners cutting the island in half with a presise swish. A sudden anger came over him. He wanted to hurt something. Kick something. God, Fuck! And there was her. She didn't even give a damn. Something to focus his anger on made it feel better. He walked fast to catch up with her, not making himself look desperate by breaking into a jog.  
  
"How do you know about this? How long have you been on this island."  
  
"Eleven years." She answered. He couldn't even catch a blink of the eye.   
  
Eleven years? Sonofabitch!   
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"Seventeen." She looked it. He looked out onto the water for a moment.  
  
"So you were six when you came here." A nod was all she got in before he started again. "Then how do you know about the currents and thermal pockets? If you were six, how do you know english so well? How do you any of the words you do? How-" Her laughter stopped him. He looked at her and frowned. But god she was beautiful. Her hair cascaded down her shoulder as she looked at him, turning her head.  
  
"You think you're the first people to wash up on our shores?"  
  
"Ther're more people here?" She nodded. "Where." He was actually looking forward to meeting strangers. Comparing it to Roses vague sly attitudes.  
  
"Six feet under." Fuck. "About eight others have been here before you, you know."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Usually fishermen that wandered off durring a storm. They never lasted long here though."  
  
"Why." She piled more seaweed on the ever thickening pile. The trails left by the runner in the sand were getting deeper and deeper under its thickening load. It appeared to be quite a load at that. Roses arms strained some, but pulled the sled along easily.   
  
"They were all old. Dehydrated. Exhausted. We kept them comfortable, but they died within a week or two." They came up on the main beach. The sun was lowering in the sky by this time. Long shadows threw themselves on the ground from whatever they pleased.  
  
"You still managed to pump information from them though." He noted.  
  
"Nothing they didn't tell on their own."  
  
"Hmm." They walked in silence up to the center of the beach. Rose tilted the sled over with some difficulty, but didn't even suggest Leo help her. She knelt down and began lying her things out on the sand to dry. He watched her for awhile, then left, walking again down the beach. Even with the oceans slosh, and the noise from winds, he heard her speaking at a normal speaking level.  
  
"There were others that lived longer as well." Rose bit her bottom lip as soon as the words had left it. What had prompted her to speak she couldn't say. He returned. Whoever he was.  
  
"What was that?" His deep voice came to her from above, standing over her. Spiders scurried down her spine. He was begining to intrigue her.  
  
"There were two adults with us when we arrived." He knelt across from her. She could tell he was watching her, but didn't bother to match his gaze. Just sorted her things.  
  
"Just two?"  
  
"Just two." What had he been expecting. "They both tried to go for help after a year. We haven't seen them since." He rocked back and sat himself down.  
  
"I was wondering how you survived here so young."  
  
"Two years ago Mrs. Lamarck came."  
  
"Who's that." For someone who just learned they were trapped on a deserted island he was sure interested in her life.  
  
"A scientist." Rose picked up a pile of seaweed and laid it apart from the rest. "She's the one that taught us about the currents. She also taught us better english. Does that answer your question?"  
  
"Yes." As if he had to answer.  
  
"Good." She gathered up the seaweed and the sled reigns. He joined her as she went inside, and even helped her untangle the reigns to leave the sled ouside.  
  
  
  
  
The walk had been nice enough. The jungle was a cool place, figuratively. Moist air leeched onto his skin and dribbled down his legs. He had returned to the waterfall at one point to rinse it, as well as the moss spores, off his skin. Now Raph returned down the main trail, and around to the back entrance of the house. Inside the rooms were connected door by door, no halls. Other than the porch room he and his brothers had woken on, he found a room in the front that seemed to hold all the treasures that had washed on shore over time. He didn't taken intrest in it, fighting to hard to hold back intrest in what lay at the top of the ladder at the end of the hall.  
  
The third and last room in the first floor was a big kitchen. There were, what he now knew as bamboo, counters around the walls, plus a counter island in the center of the room with a brick oven inside it. It looked to be the newest addition to the room. On the counters were dozens of hand wozen baskets full of fruits, cooking utensils, trinkets, flowers, shells, coils of vines. Sea weed was hung against the wall for some reason.  
Perched atop a tall stool to work at the counter, Rose painstakingly sliced fruit for a platter set beside her. Raph felt his heart and loins jump at once. Her hair was dried now, its waves rolling down her back like ripples in a pond. He sauntered up beside her.  
  
"Hey Rose." Her lovely head turned just so to him. He could see the carmen color of her lips peek out from behind the turn of her cheek. He'd love to see those lips on his neck. Instead they turned back again to the counter. A quiet exasperated sigh returned his greeting. Oh shit! Had she seen him watching him? That would be terrible! His heart sped and he fought the urge to smack his hand against his forehead.  
  
Leo and Rose walked in from the front porch, carrying a load of wet seaweed. The slime was begining to trickle down her stomach, eager to soak itself to her wrap. Matching expressions on both his and his brothers face were noticed only after the seaweeds were diposited on the countertop, and messy slime was being swatted at. Leo let out a short sound to preface his words.  
  
"Who is....?" Rose and Rose looked at each other, then back again. "Twins?"  
  
"Of course." Rose gave Rose a damp cloth to wipe her stomach with. "This is Ruby." Ruby turned around on the stool. There was no better example of identical twins in genetics. Height, weight, structure. The way their hair picked up highlights from the sun. The smokey almond shaped eyes...  
  
"We'll see that you can tell us apart from now on." They even had identical voices Ruby proved. "I hope you'll do the same." She picked up the dish and brought it outside. They still hadn't bothered telling anyone their names yet. Fuck. How rude of them.  
  
Just then Mike and Don appeared up on the porch, followed by little Delihla and Sandy. They all carried more seaweeds, or fruits, or flowers. Delihla and Sandy tittered at a joke Mike had apparently told by the proud grin plastered on his face. The girls suddenly collected up their things and left.  
  
"You can wash up by the falls out back. By the time you return we'll have the fire going." Rose said on her way out. "And don't touch anything." Mike immediately jerked his hand back from the pile of conk shells. He grinned sheepishly and clasped his hands, looking at his feet.  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Untitled Document

"What the fuck is going on here!" Michelangelo exclaimed, dipping his hands into the crystal waters. He discovered their ice cold properties and leapt back with a yelp. Leonardo knelt down by the calmer waters where it was warmer. He looked in at his reflection as it began to warp with ripples. Raphael perched himself above on a rock and looked down at him. 

"I think we might be stuck here." Leonardo announced in his best doctors voice, after Michelangelo had figured how to soothe his hands by jamming them beneath his armpits. Although he didn't look up, he could feel the almost disbelieving stares he received. He felt like giving one himself. "The tides are too bad to let us out, and the reef's high." 

".....What are you saying." Raphael said calmly for one of the few times in his life. Not that it was ever a good thing. Leo rolled back on his heels and stood, leaving wet hand prints on the smooth grey rock. 

"I'm saying we might actually be here for a little while." 

"Little while?" Mike whined. "....But they're just about to announce who the eighth digi-destined is!" 

"Everyone already _knows_ its Kari, you moron." Donatello frowned. 

"Guys, guys." Leonardo lowered his palms as softly as his voice. Raphael picked up the slack. 

"How long is a '_little while_', _Leo_?" He slid off the rock onto the ground beside his brothers. He had the familiar 'you-better-have-the-answer-I'm-looking-for' look and Mike and Don began backing away to rinse their hands. 

"I don't know ok? We're just going to have to make a plan and start working." 

"What the hell's your plan...." His voice started to come from deep in his belly. But Leonardo already was ready to cut off any tantrum. 

"I don't have one yet, alright? It's not going to do any good getting angry yet. There's nothing any of us can do right now." Leonardo wiped his hands off on his plastron. He could see the mini fire quickly diminish and his brother went to wash his hands down a little way around the pond. Turning back to the rest of his family he went on. "We'll be safe _here_ for now. There's food and fresh water-" 

"And girls." Donatello interjected. Mike stifled a laugh. 

"....Yes. And girls. And there's shelter... So we'll be alright until we can find a way off. But just.... don't tell any of those girls about us leaving.... I don't know how much we could really trust them yet..." 

When the turtles returned to the camp the fire was going. The setting sun turned the entire beach red and orange, saturating every pore it touched. The now red grapefruit waters spread softly along the sand, softening the footsteps of Delihlas walk along the shore. She gave a great big smile as they came onto the beach, and waved them over to where the fire was burning, and the fish were stuck upon arm length branches to be cooked. Fresh flowers and fruit sat upon carved plates around the fire. Sandy took a flower from the plate and slid it behind her ear as they joined them all, the red petals resting against the side of her eye. Or maybe it would be pink with out the sun. 

That night they ate and talked and were discouraged. The girls had many tales about their attempted escapes from the island. Delihlas were always the most harrowing. But they all ended in either them turning back against rough currents, or being capsized and having to swim for shore. 

But still, Donatellos mind was already off an clicking about ways to avoid their downfalls, and learn from their mistakes. While Raphael would only stare blankly into the fire. He could simply not accept that it was happening to them. They had gotten all the tough breaks in life, and this one just bound them all together like a big 'ha-ha-what-a-bunch-of-losers' ribbon. Michelangelo also was adopting this mode of thinking. At least to the extent of him losing his world back in New York. He had friends, and commitments, and a general schedule he followed (not to mention all his writing stuff....and his cat) that he had just lost. The rest of the world would be going on without him again. Right when he had begun to taste what it had to offer. Fuck. Leonardo paid close attention himself. Although he reclined himself in the warm sand, twirling a dark lily between his thick fingers, his mind was greedily soaking up the stories, phrases, tones of voice, nuances of speech and movement. All the while piecing together parts of what he considered a puzzle. To find out whos company they were truely in. Four well-meaning young ladies that offered to look after them for the time being. Or four well-meaning young ladies that would later betray them for any chance off the island. Or _both..._ He caught Rose starring at him, and looked to her. She was laying back in the sand with a flower bloom resting in her belly button. Her eyes looked at him in a way that made him realize, she was wondering the same type of things about him. 

Soon the moon had risen high into the sky, and everyone surrendered to the insistant urges from their bodies for rest. Wet sand was poured over the smoldering branches and things were brought inside for the night. The turtles returned to their little porch for the night and were fast asleep before any of the girls could say goodnight. 

_ Trapped.  
Alone like animals on a display  
but no one is watching  
The bars are made of the strongest steel  
but you can walk right through them  
Everything you need is here  
but your still yearning to live_

Frowning, Michelangelo began scribbling the words out of the sand with his stick. The south side of the island was draped heavily in vines and dark leaves, and had almost been scripted with poetry. But no. It was unfinished and rough. Mike wasn't up to polishing it. Instead he sadly made circles over the words, the tip of the stick dipping into the soft and mallable sand. 

The gentle crunching of footsteps emerging from the greenery increased his efforts to erase the work. Suddenly Delihla was beside him and held onto his hand so she could read, her hair falling down his arm. 

"What are you writing, Mikey?" She asked tenderly, he began picking the bits of leaves out that had gotten caught in her hair. Before he could answer she began reading what she could outloud. "The bar... the strongest .... _steel_?" 

"Yeah. Steel. It's a kind of metal." 

"Oh! Of course. **_Ste_**el!" Mike smirked. 

"Everything... still... what?... what's that word?" She pointed with her toe toward 'yearning', making a round imprint in the sand once she was satisfied he had seen. She removed her foot and looked down at the word again. 

"That's yearning." He watched as she walked to the shoreline, stepping into the wet sand. She turned and looked at him again, raising up sand in her clenched toes. 

"What's yearning?" 

"It's like... wanting. Really wanting." He cocked her head as she did, and watched as she rested her arms ontop of her head. The blond curls which had once been her modesty, now sat atop her shoulders. Mike swallowed, trying to avoid the glances his eyes continued to make at her bare chest. Shit, a nice chest. He closed his eyes and looked away when it appeared that he wouldn't be able to look at her without admiring her nipples. 

"So what are you yearning for." His eyes were forced open on that one. "In the writing? All the steel and and the bars." He forcefully cleared his throat. 

"Uh.... I dunno. It's just a stupid poem." He quickly returned to scraping it out. Light footsteps came and she was beside him again, kicking up a small wave of sand against his tight ankles (he had spent the morning jumping around the rocks on the east side with Don and Sandy.) 

"No! Not a stupid poem. Don't get rid of it!" She pleaded. With a wide squiggle the rest of the words disipated into the sand. "Noooooo." Her shoulders slumped and she hung onto his arm. "Why did you do that?" 

"I dunno. I didn't want to write it anymore I guess." He shrugged and plunged the stick down so it stood straight up. Sitting his behind down in the sand he looked far across the water, just below the horizon line. Delihla still stood above him. 

"But it was good!" She declared. He turned his eyes up at her. Her hair was back over her chest again, and cast shadows down her face that made her look almost angry. But it was _him_ who erased his _own_ work. 

"You didn't even read it all." He turned back to the water, letting his shoulders slump forward. There was a puff of air on his thigh and she was on her knees beside him. Big blue eyes sought out his- 

_She's got betty Da-vis eyes-_

"But if I hadn't... I wouldn't know what steal is, or what it is to 'yearn.'" _I still would._ He flopped back in the sand, nice and warm against his neck and shoulders. "...You haven't been here three whole days yet, please don't tell me you're going to get all sad _already_." Turning his cheek in the sand, he looked up at her golden complexion again. He had the right to be depressed. Maybe he held back when he was younger, but now he would be sad whenever it pleased him. Except, it didn't really please him. 

"Delihla... I want to go _home_." She smiled. 

"But this _is _home." His eyes became blank slates. It felt like the bottom dropped out from under him, and he was falling. _Home..._ He looked back up at the cloudless sky. "Oh, Mikey. I... I don't mean that." She touched her shoulder. "What I mean is..." He looked at her sideways to see her eyes searching for an explaination. "Well, it's _my_ home... and... maybe it can be your home too... _for a little while_." She added. A hopeful and proud smile came across her face. He couldn't help but smile back, even if it wasn't whole hearted. 

She took his hand then and began hitting it playfully against the warm ground. "Come on! Let's make sand houses now!" 

"You mean sand castles?" 

"_Castles?_" 


	5. Chapter 5

Grasping a smooth stone between his fingers, Donatello began to roll about his hand. It had a nice weight and coloring to it. Reminding him of how he had been neglecting his collection.... then how he was hundreds of miles away from tending it right now. He chucked it out onto the open waters.

"_Over here!_" Sandy called. Don stepped onto the next jutting rock. And then the next. He eventually hopped his way around the bend of jagged boulders, meeting up again beside young Sandy. The excitement in her eyes glittered, and was very catching. She leapt on from rock to rock, with the same skill as a ninja, he mused. Following her between the spiky rocks, he joined her sitting in a cozy crevice. The waves crashed up beside them, spraying him with a salty mist. Only a light trickle, however, made it into the cup-like ravine. Dozens of quarter sized blue crabs bumbled over one another. Losing their hold as the wash came in, drifting back, and then crawling again toward the center. Four slender fingers dipped into the pool, lifting a tiny crab up. "See?"

"Wow, you're right. What brilliant color." Leaning over the puddle, he took a closer look.

"I call them 'double ridges'." She said, running her finger over the shell. The speedy little thing crawled over her hand, and she giggled as she twisted her fingers around to keep it. "Here." Taking his finger in her other hand, she laid it over the shellback. Two sharp ridges pressed against the pad of his finger, and he felt it wiggle its way from underneath.

" 'Double ridges'? You know that's the basis of many scientific names. Taking it out of specific characteristics, like that." His eyes drifted just briefly as she spread her legs to set her feet on two small rock catches, leaning down to set the tiny crustacean back. Her hair fell forward, dipping into the water and swimming in the current.

"Yes, I know." She sat back up, wet hair latching onto the inside of her knees. "The lady scientist taught me."

"Oh, yeah." He swirled his finger in the little pool. "She taught you a lot, didn't she?" Nodding vigorously,

"She certainly did." Her face lit, and he assumed he had hit upon a strong subject for her. "She taught us reading, and writing, and science. She said our English was atrocious before she taught us better." She laughed.

"Well you speak very well."

"Thank you. Mrs. Lamarck told us that once we get off our island, we'd be as smart as everyone else our age. As long as we keep up our studies." Dipping her hand back in the water, bright blue crabs crawled over her skin.

"Your studies? You haven't outgrown them yet?"

"Not here, no." She lifted up a handful of crabs. "She taught us to study nature. That way we can 'keep sharp'." As he held his hands out, she poured the little creatures into his open palms. "We tried keeping records of everything we learn, but we have very little paper to write it on. So we keep it all here." She tapped her head.

"You're mentally categorizing the entire island." He said more to himself. A few small nips to his skin and he let the crab tumble back into their cove. "If you ever get back to civilization you'll be a marvel of the scientific community.

" 'If we ever?'" She questioned. "Do you think we'll be here forever?" Looking out on the watery horizon, Donatello mused soberly.

"That's the impression we got from you."

"I don't think we intended for you to be so serious about it." He smirked. "There's always hope, nothing is set in stone."

"Yeah." He felt his hand removed from his knee. She held it gently; her brown eyes welcomely compassionate. Her fingers ran over what he realized were tense cords in the back of his hand.

"I know I can't put myself completely in your place, Donatello. You've seen much more of the world, and have all that to miss. You've lived your life as some outcast because of your form, and I couldn't begin to think how that effects your view of the world now from this island. But remember," Her face turned to an indistinguishable smile. "no amount of adversity crushes real hope. You of all should know that." Don was dumbstruck. Knowing he was unable to make any response other than some grunt, he remained silent. Her eyes seemed to draw him in, wrapping him in some warm blanket. A smile began tugging at his mouth. "And in the meantime, you'll have all the names of what we've been studying on our island." He frowned perfunctionarily.

"I don't know about _all_ of them" His hand pulled him up as she stood, balanced on rock ledging.

"Either way, I don't plan on letting you have a moments rest!" With a grin, she skipped off, toes hardly touching the rugged brown stones. "_There's a crystal deposit down **this** way!_" Words drifted by in the wind, flitting by his ears and making his face fight between a frown and a smile. The breeze carried off; drowning out the sounds as it rounded the island. Caressing the cheeks to four panting inhabitants in its' path.


	6. Chapter 6

Passing time on the sands of the north beach was becoming… less and less enjoyable. The beats of the sunlight warmed the skin until it nearly burned away from beneath. The ocean drafts, which once were cooling, now couldn't compete with the heat and sweat that were both collecting. And their hands were becoming numb from lifting the edge of the one ton rock.

Releasing a slow grunt, Raphael lowered the wet slab. With the weight unsupported, Leonardo also had to stop and lay his sweaty handhold on the rock down. Sand blew up on the evaporating print, pausing on the gray moist spot. The two braided vines went slack. Shaking the blood and feeling back into his hands, Raphael scowled at his own show of weakness. Leonardo was also blessing the reprieve.

Shifting their feet's in the damp sands, the twins gave unfocused impatient looks from their berry-brown eyes. Ruby turned away, the scarlet starflower fluttering over her ear. They all looked at the now familiar stone slab. The problem that it had presented them brought them all to a workers' silence. And drew lines over their brows between each of them. Leonardo was the one to speak, talking over the slosh of the water lapping at the dry sand.

"Just give us a second." Suffocated blood was massaged back into the veins of his arm.

"Do you find you are too delicate for this work?" Both brothers went on the alert. Their egos punctured, they exchanged the briefest of glances before turning to Rose's inhospitable look. Before Raph could utter his curse, she walked farther across the shore, to where her feet would soak in the water. "We _told_ you not to bother."

"We came to help you." Leonardo reminded. Ruby's scoff was caught in the wind.

"A lot of help you are doing."

"_Hey,_" Raph barked. None of his injuries went unpunished. And it seemed as though this one had finally, and suddenly, had ruptured. "If you don't want our help, _than do it yourselves_!" That got the girls attention. And Leonardo's. Although he had been wanting to make peace with their semi-captors this week, he did not want to temper his brother's challenge by making another truce. He wanted to see them do it.

The twins looked at one another. Not even glancing at the size of the massive slate, they agreed between their eyes. Superior smirks crossed their lips, lifting their chins. They turned back to the brothers and expressed their confidence.

"Fine."

"Maybe you will be learning something." They returned to the woven ropes, tied around the width of the stone. Each picked up their loose end. Winding it around sturdy hands, and tugging it into tightness. They rolled their backs in preparation. The ropes were tucked into their armpits, pressed into the top of the ribcage where the hunkered shoulder held it into place. The girls set their feet into the beach to a runner's stance.

Ruby counted down to the beginning. With a short grunt, the two began to pull. Hefting the ropes forward until they strained with weight. Their feet ground into sand, bracing forward against an invisible wind. The stone nudged down on the beach, a reluctant leaving from the sunken lot it had created. Very reluctant leave. Heaving forward, their feet kicked back sand in the wake of what should have been walking. The brothers watched as amused spectators while the girls struggled to make headway. Waves of sand flew back onto the stone top, and stung triumphantly against the turtles' shins. They grinned as the stone made no progress forward, none visible to the naked eye. With what turned to be a final haul forward, Rose's feet kicked out from under her, sending her face first into the beach. Unable to contain their amusement, the boys burst forward in laughter.

The girls stopped and looked back. Their faces red from exertion, panting for air. Rose dropped her rope, climbing back to her feet. Seeing her front covered in white sand, the brothers also turned red from exertion. They held each other's shoulders so they didn't fall over themselves.

"_That's good!_"

"_Oh yeah, we learned something alright!_"

"Stop your laughing!" They insisted. Their demand went unheard through the screen of laughter. Almost suffering from asphyxiation, they sucked in air between their bellowing laughs. The girls' faces turned a dark sour color. Now nearly wheezing for breath, Raphael froze as a hot wet splatter covered his face. Ruby dusted the sand off her hands, the superior smirk returning. Leonardo took one look at the sandy web of seaweed stuck to Raphael, and doubled over in his own fits of laughter.

Determined to put him in his place, Rose began a run toward the stone, beyond which the brothers stood. Leaping onto the slate, she launched into a jump kick toward him. The idea wasn't well thought out. She had no idea of Leonardo's own skill, on top of which she was already exhausted from the afternoon's activities. He saw her soon enough, and shifted his weight out of the way. Taking hold of her legs as she passed him by, he spun her the other way, so she fell into the sand instead of crouching out of distance. 

By this time he was done laughing. But she was not done with him yet. With his weight now off balance, she kicked the back of his thigh, successfully dropping him before he could escape. Unfortunately, it was her he fell back on, trapping her legs beneath his shell.

While Raphael tried to peel the octopus like seaweed off, and Ruby watched bemusedly, Rose lifted her knee up, propping Leo up enough for her to push him off with her feet. He rolled off voluntarily once he regained his senses, and took Rose with him. Grasping her by the waist, he rolled her into the ocean like a load of rocks. Stopping short on her hands and knees, she glared back up at him, the incoming waves crashing around her thighs.

"Heh heh." He chortled. Seeing her sister was not quite done, Ruby also jumped off the slate into a kick. This time, however, she had recovered some strength and agility, and struck the turtle's shell as he began to stand. It was well placed, and Leonardo fell into the water, tumbling right into Rose.

Raphael threw the weed aside, and grabbed Ruby from around the waist. She struggled as he restrained her, fruitlessly wrestling away from his grasp. 

In the meantime, Rose rolled Leo onto his shell under the water. The salty waves pushed them back towards the shore, but they were already under the surface. He had sense-of-mind to take a breath before she pushed his head under. A wet weight was pushed down over his face, and he cringed against the slime. Pulling the leaf of sea lettuce off, it drifted away again in the receding current. Leo took the shoulders above him, and turned them under, pressing Rose into the sandy floor. Her mass of red hair turned the water a bloody crimson, drifting freely. A stream of bubbles blew up as she released her air, and Leonardo reared back out of the water. She came up after him, once his hands drew back in surprise, and took a deep breath.

Wrestling into a new position, he lifted her out of the water. One arm between her legs, the other around her shoulders in the only sloppy hold he could manage. Turning in the waist deep water, he flung her as far out as his strength and centrifugal force was carry, her scream following after her. She landed with a watery blast, disappearing under the froth of the clear waves. Leo waited a few moments before the red head reappeared, treading water and sucking in the fresh air to his delight.

Raising her knee up, Ruby bent over, feeling Raphael following suit. She ceased her struggles for only a split-second, and kicked back. While she had been aiming for something more painful, Raph had sensed what she was intending to do, and began to shift out of the way. Not before her foot made a hard contact with his upper thigh, right where it connected to his plastron. It worked well enough, and he freed her, grunting in pain. Taking only a moment or so to relish her freedom, stepping out of his reach, and flexing her elbows back into feeling, she went back into action. Leonardo was almost directly in front of her, and she ran into the water. Her attack was unexpected, Rose was distracting him, and she landed on his shell. He went under like a rock, taking in a good mouthful of salt water and all its debris. Again, there wasn't long to savor the victory, when Raphael had some how overcome his pain, and came up right behind her. Lifting her off his brother, he wrangled the struggling girl back into his arms. Despite her protest, both verbal and physical, he followed Leo's example, spinning around in the water, and letting her fly. With a shriek, she landed beside her sister. The surge of water was impressive, splashing Rose.

The second red head emerged, and they both glanced at the chuckling pair of guys on shore. Although Leo was still hacking from the salt down his throat. They were amused themselves, and began swimming towards the beach, until they could touch ground and slog the rest of the way up. It was hard to suppress the smiles, so the matter seemed settled. Raphael limped up onto the sand.

"You both look like 'cousin 'it'.'" He looked over the soggy sheets of hair that now clung all the way down their fronts and backs, reaching their thighs. The girls exchanged confused but not surprised looks. Causing Leonardo to laugh as he coughed out the last of the water.

"I don't think they know what that is, Raph." His voice was rough.

"We do not really want to, either." Rose noted. "Why don't we…" She looked toward the slab stone, still resting because of it's weight. "…Get more people."

"Good idea." Leo concurred.

"And some food." She added. The afternoon had left them all famished with only the light breakfast they had partaken on that morning. They all nodded and began up the beach again, leaving wet footsteps as they walked over the stone.

Feeling Raphael coming up behind her, Ruby pivoted and quickly knocked him over. He fell with a 'whump' into the sand, and they all froze. Ruby took off down the shore, and Rose turned do likewise. Before she could push Leonardo down though, he had grabbed her wrist, and brought it around and to the side so she lost her balance. She landed with a short yelp as she landed beside Raphael, and Leonardo took off running along side Ruby.

"_Benedict Arnold!_" Raphael called, clamoring back onto his feet and running after them with Rose.


End file.
